Fantasy fiction; Oz (Imaginary place) -- Juvenile fiction
Handy was right for one more round brought them to the end of corkscrew
lane, but only to find themselves facing a high, forbidding wall. There
was a gate and turnstile in the wall, and beyond the Goat Girl caught
a glimpse of a confused whirling village where everything seemed to
be turning round or over. "It's just because I'm so dizzy," thought
Handy, clutching her head with her one free hand. But Nox, peering over
her shoulder gave a loud and indignant bellow as a house on the corner
of the street nearest them turned completely over and began spinning
merrily on its chimney, while the fence running round the bakery shop
next door started really to run around, kicking up its posts with great
glee and abandon.
"Hu--what kind of silly place is this?" rumbled the Ox backing hastily
away. But Handy Mandy had seen a whole row of little pies in the
bakeshop window and motioning vigorously for Nox to follow, stepped
over the stile and through the movable gate. It was too much of a
squeeze for Nox, but determined not to be left behind, he jumped neatly
over. A revolving sign on one of the large public buildings caught
their attention at once, but as the building was going one way and the
sign another, it was several minutes before they could discover what it
said.
"TURN TOWN!" read the Goat Girl in some surprise. "So that's where
we are! And would you loo--ook, every house on every street is going
round or over. Mercy--ercy on us and where do you suppose the people
are?"
"Turning over and over in their beds I take it, it is still quite
early, you know," whispered the Royal Ox, speaking cautiously out of
the corner of his mouth. "But come on, the streets are not turning, and
perhaps if we hurry we can go through before they waken and turn on us.
Hurry--hurry--what are you waiting for?"
"Food," sighed Handy wistfully. "I thought I might catch us a few pies,
Old Toggins. Here, watch my stuff and I'll bring us each some."
Nox looked sharply up and down the street as the Goat Girl set down
her axe, rake, spade, gun, broom and sword, and started off toward the
bakery.
Not only the fence but the shop itself was turning now. Handy quite
cleverly waited till the gate came opposite her and dashed through, but
the open door of the shop kept going by so rapidly she was knocked down
several times before she finally darted inside. As she disappeared Nox
gave an uneasy snort, but cheered up as the shop window came past and
he saw Handy with a pie in every hand, smile at him reassuringly. But
alas, the whirling floor of the shop was too much for the Goat Girl
and as she started out there was a clatter of broken china and falling
furniture.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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